The Denver Post 1 CK Reporter of the Week Zoe Zizzo, Highlands Ranch Thoughtful history of the homeless What does the word ‘home’ mean to you? This question was answered by elementary students at the entrance to History Colo- rado’s new exhibit, “Searching for a Home: Homelessness in Colorado.” Many of us think we know what it means to have a home, be it the picture in your head of the house you’ve had for 20 years, your family, or your pets, but what about that un- washed looking man on the street corner with the cardboard sign? This exhibit explores what ‘home’ means, and could mean, to these thousands of street-roam- ers and HUD-defined homeless in Colorado. The exhibit is showcased on the under- ground floor, and truly begins as soon as you begin the descent. The hallways outside this rather small exhibit showcase pictures re- lating to the exhibit and topic, including pictures of Daddy Bruce Randolph and his restaurant, and multiple series depicting the homeless, some of their belongings, and the places these people are forced to sleep. Inside the exhibit, displays and informations from the 1800’s to today are divided into four primary struggles that have always faced the homeless: safety, health, relationships, and shelter. While the exhibit does go into great detail on Baby Doe Tabor’s rise and fall to great- ness, as well as some of the housing problems faced by miners attracted to the then-small town of Denver, most of the parts from 2015 focus on youth homelessness and the struggle that many single moms face on the streets. There are some essays written by anthro- pologists on homelessness, but much of the exhibit is visual, containing things such as Baby Doe’s dresses from her wealthy period and her impoverished one, and a collection of cardboard signs from 2011-2015. There are also autobiographical notes on homelessness from homeless people around Colorado, and interactive exhibits such a support system made up of Jenga blocks and “What would you do?” situations set up around the exhibit. This exhibit, designed by museum staff and social workers and former homeless people, shines a spotlight on the homelessness prob- lem in this state through artifacts, letters, interactive set-ups, and places where you can write your own thoughts on homelessness and leave them for other visitors to see. This exhibit, despite its discussion of very serious problems, is appropriate for kids, and while it is not something a very young child would find interesting, it would be an en- gaging way for anyone 8 and up to spend an afternoon. Aimed at families, this exhibit explores what it means to be homeless in different scenarios and times. November 24, 2015 Latest ‘American Girl’ rocks the 50s “I follow my heart, not the crowd,” says Maryellen Larkin in her first book, “The One and Only,” by Valerie Tripp. Maryellen, like the book about her, is from the 1950s, a time of “peace, prosperity, promise, and exu- berant growth in the United States.” Maryellen really stands out from the other American Girl dolls because she has red curly hair pulled back with a turquoise rib- bon in a perky ponytail and bangs. Maryellen has really cool clothing and accessories like white gloves, a bracelet and pearl necklace, a jukebox, sofa bed, dog named Scooter, television console, and diner set. But the most unique thing about this American Girl is how many friends she has and their backstories along with Maryellen’s interesting life that make her more vibrant than all the other dolls. For those who might not know about American Girl toys, they offer five doll products: BeForever, Girl of the Year, Truly Me, Bitty Baby, and Bitty Twins. Maryellen is from the BeForever character line. For information on the other toys you can go to the American Girl website. Maryellen’s character is revealed in her first book, “The One and Only,” which talks about how important her family and friends are to her. I recommend starting with the first book because it tells you so much about Maryellen and her life. I do think the book could have woven in a little more about the 1950s lifestyle. Overall, it was very interest- ing and books two and three, “Taking Off” and “The Sky’s Limits” look to be really good also. Maryellen has soft green colored eyes with great detail and black eyelashes that attach to eyes that open and close. Priced at $115, she comes with a striped blue, pink, red and white dress, a blue shrug that has an M for Maryellen monogram and black Mary Jane shoes. I introduced Maryellen to some friends who also have American Girl Dolls to get their feedback. She was a hit! They all loved her from head to toe and I am sure you would too. If you are looking for something to put on your wish list, Maryellen should be at the top. G R E A T H O L I D A Y S B E G I N H E R E ! B e y o n d B l a c k b o a r d the BEST SELECTION OF CREATIVE & EDUCATIONAL TOYS IN COLORADO! SCIENCE KITS! LIVE FROGS! ARTS & CRAFTS! PUZZLES & GAMES PLASMA CARS! GREAT BOOKS! BUILDING SETS! ...and so much more! BEYOND THE BLACKBOARD TOYS Southlands, 6155 S. Main St, Aurora 303.627.5791 7721 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada 303.422.5151 www.BeyondTheBlackboard.com By Thandi Glick, 11, a CK Reporter from Denver By Katherine Gagner, 10, a CK Reporter from Boulder Photo: History Colorado
Transcript
The Denver Post1
CK Reporter of the WeekZoe Zizzo, Highlands Ranch
Thoughtful history of the homeless
What does the word ‘home’ mean to you?This question was answered by elementary
students at the entrance to History Colo-rado’s new exhibit, “Searching for a Home: Homelessness in Colorado.”
Many of us think we know what it means to have a home, be it the picture in your head of the house you’ve had for 20 years, your family, or your pets, but what about that un-washed looking man on the street corner with the cardboard sign?
This exhibit explores what ‘home’ means, and could mean, to these thousands of street-roam-ers and HUD-defined homeless in Colorado.
The exhibit is showcased on the under-ground floor, and truly begins as soon as you
begin the descent. The hallways outside this
rather small exhibit showcase pictures re-lating to the exhibit and topic, including pictures of Daddy Bruce Randolph and his restaurant, and multiple series depicting the homeless, some of their belongings, and the places these people are forced to sleep.
Inside the exhibit, displays and informations from the 1800’s to today are divided into four primary struggles that have always faced the homeless: safety, health, relationships, and shelter.
While the exhibit does go into great detail on Baby Doe Tabor’s rise and fall to great-ness, as well as some of the housing problems
faced by miners attracted to the then-small town of Denver, most of the parts from 2015 focus on youth homelessness and the struggle that many single moms face on the streets.
There are some essays written by anthro-pologists on homelessness, but much of the exhibit is visual, containing things such as Baby Doe’s dresses from her wealthy period and her impoverished one, and a collection of cardboard signs from 2011-2015.
There are also autobiographical notes on homelessness from homeless people around Colorado, and interactive exhibits such a support system made up of Jenga blocks and “What would you do?” situations set up around the exhibit.
This exhibit, designed by museum staff and social workers and former homeless people, shines a spotlight on the homelessness prob-lem in this state through artifacts, letters, interactive set-ups, and places where you can write your own thoughts on homelessness and leave them for other visitors to see.
This exhibit, despite its discussion of very serious problems, is appropriate for kids, and while it is not something a very young child would find interesting, it would be an en-gaging way for anyone 8 and up to spend an afternoon.
Aimed at families, this exhibit explores what it means to be homeless in different scenarios and times.
November 24, 2015
Latest ‘American Girl’ rocks the 50s“I follow my heart, not the crowd,” says Maryellen Larkin in
her first book, “The One and Only,” by Valerie Tripp. Maryellen, like the book about her, is from the 1950s, a
time of “peace, prosperity, promise, and exu-berant growth in the United States.”
Maryellen really stands out from the other American Girl dolls because she has red curly hair pulled back with a turquoise rib-bon in a perky ponytail and bangs.
Maryellen has really cool clothing and accessories like white gloves, a bracelet and pearl necklace, a jukebox, sofa bed, dog named Scooter, television console, and diner set.
But the most unique thing about this American Girl is how many friends she has and their backstories along with Maryellen’s interesting life that make her more vibrant than all the other dolls.
For those who might not know about American Girl toys, they offer five doll products: BeForever, Girl of the Year, Truly Me, Bitty Baby, and Bitty Twins. Maryellen is from the BeForever character line.
For information on the other toys you can go to the American Girl website.
Maryellen’s character is revealed in her first book, “The One and Only,” which talks about how important her family and friends are to her.
I recommend starting with the first book because it tells you so much about Maryellen and her life.
I do think the book could have woven in a little more about the 1950s lifestyle. Overall, it was very interest-ing and books two and three, “Taking Off” and “The Sky’s Limits” look to be really good also.
Maryellen has soft green colored eyes with great detail and black eyelashes that attach to eyes that open and close.
Priced at $115, she comes with a striped blue, pink, red and white dress, a blue shrug that has an M for Maryellen monogram and black Mary Jane shoes.
I introduced Maryellen to some friends who also have American Girl Dolls to get their feedback. She was a hit!
They all loved her from head to toe and I am sure you would too.
If you are looking for something to put on your wish list, Maryellen should be at the top.
G R EAT H O L I DAYS BEGI
N H
ERE!Beyond
Blackboardthe
BEST SELECTION OF CREATIVE & EDUCATIONAL TOYS IN COLORADO!
SCIENCEKITS!
LIVEFROGS!
ARTS &
CRAFTS!
PUZZLES& GAMES
PLASMACARS!
GREATBOOKS!
BUILDINGSETS!
...and so much more!
BEYOND THE BLACKBOARD TOYSSouthlands, 6155 S. Main St, Aurora 303.627.5791
By Katherine Gagner,10, a CK Reporter from Boulder
Photo: History Colorado
The Denver Post
“The Dragonsitter” by Josh Lacey is not your typical book. It is
made completely out of e-mails. The main characters are Ed-
ward Smith-Pickle and Morton Pickle.
Edward, Morton’s nephew, is the Dragonsitter.
His uncle drops his dragon ‘Ziggy’ off at his house for him to dragonsit for a week.
The book is a series of e-mails between Edward and Morton regarding the dragon’s behavior, how much he is eating, and some tips for working with the dragon.
We learn that Edward is pan-
icking because he doesn’t know what to do.
He’s lost the instructions for how to take care of Ziggy and the dragon is doing tons of bad stuff.
At one point the dragon even cuts a hole in the refrigerator and rampages in the kitchen.
I loved this book because it was about a dragon, but it was differ-ent than the typical dragon story.
I mean, how many dragon stories have you read where the dragon eats chocolate and needs to have a babysitter?
I recommend this book for ages 5 to 8. It’s an easy read and is only 55 pages long.
There are many black and white pictures and they are really de-scriptive.
This is the first book of a series and there is a sneak peek of the next book, “The Dragonsitter Takes Off,” included at the end of this book.
Other books in the series are “The Dragonsitter’s Island” and the “Dragonsitter’s Castle,” which will come out in 2016.
Dia de Muertos is a perfect time to kill. Costumes, crowds, you could disappear in an instant.
Spectre is meeting once again, but this time, they are not alone. James Bond (Daniel Craig) has tracked them down and is going in for the kill.
Like a cat after a mouse, they are in for the chase.
Explosions, hand-to-hand combat, and gun battles have brought Bond close to death all around the world, but will he survive this time?
“Spectre” is a breathtaking movie that literally kept me on the edge of my seat and gripping the armrests in fear and anticipation.
I think my heart actually stopped a few times!
From the first scene in Mexico, it was full of ceaseless action.
Spectre (Special Executive for Count-er-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Ex-tortion) is a secret organization responsi-ble for terrorist attacks around the world.
Left with a dying message from M, Bond travels the world in search of them.
Even though it is an “off the book” (no help from the team and unknown of) mission, he feels that he must evaluate it, even without the team involved.
Later Bond finds an ally, the daughter of a man who was once part of Spectre.
Through her, he is one step closer to
tracking them down.I enjoyed this movie because there were
no parts of tranquility. If a movie has too many calm scenes, I
am tempted to fall asleep, but “Spectre” was the exact opposite: Running, killing, fighting -- non-stop chaos!
It is definitely PG-13, because of some sexual content and gruesome scenes.
“Spectre” is an outstanding movie and you do not need to have seen the others to know what is happening, though, watch-ing the previous movie, “Skyfall,” will give you some more background information on M and Bond’s organization.
Though you may think that all Bond movies are is killings, there is more to them. Humor and a storyline are envel-oped in the folds of battles and death.
I loved “Spectre” and though it was quite gruesome in places, it kept me entertained and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next movie, for James Bond will live on!
2
007 provides non-stop chaos
Honeybees give up nutrition for a caffeine buzzWant to make a honey-
bee buzz? According to researchers at Britain’s Uni-versity of Sussex, try giving it caffeine.
Some plants, they learned, produce natural caffeine, and those plants draw more bees than plants whose flowers have only nectar without the added stimulant.
Not only do the bees prefer their nectar with a little bit of caffeine kick, but, when they
get caffeinated, they dance longer and more vigorously.
Since the dancing of scout bees is what tells other bees where to go and what to look for, the bees that have been sampling caffeinated flowers send more of their fellow workers to those plants.
The researchers used arti-ficial plants, some with caf-feine and some without.
The bees that sampled the caffeine not only sent more
bees back, but bees contin-ued to come even after the nectar was gone.
But it’s a trick: The plants with caffeine have less sugar in their nectar, so the bees are being fooled into pol-linating plants that don’t provide them with as much honey-making sugar as they could be finding somewhere else.
Everyone loves a cool toy that’s both in-teractive and allows the imagination to fly, which is exactly what the Playmobil
City Action Fire Station gives.
At least that’s what it seems to do on first impression.
The toy consists of a fully equipped fire en-gine and fire station and 3 people. It includes a hose, ladder, sliding pole, desk, workstation, drivers compartment, and working sirens, lights and alarms.
The amount of detail absolutely amazed me. The downside of all that detail is lots of
small pieces, which is why this would not be a good toy for really little kids who might put things in their mouth.
The other downside of this toy is that it doesn’t come fully assembled, and the direc-tions are very unhelpful.
They include only pictures and some of them are of things that were assembled or of pieces that were not included in the box.
I had to guess on several pieces as to where and how they fit.
That’s just before you start playing with it. Once I started using the toy, a few pieces
refused to stay on. The parts didn’t actually break, just fell off of where they were sup-posed to be.
I’m not sure if that was because it was as-sembled wrong or if it just wasn’t strong enough to work the way it was supposed to.
I found that even though there is a big wow
factor for kids and that they’re really excited to start playing with it, they lose interest in it pretty quickly and are frustrated by the tiny pieces as well as the pieces that kept breaking off.
Plus the alarm and siren gets very annoying very quickly since it’s so loud, and you do have to provide your own batteries for them.
Overall, I think the toy had a lot of issues, and I wouldn’t really recommend it.
It seemed very interesting before you got it out of the box, but wasn’t so great afterwards.
The toy sells for $130 or more depending where you look, which seems expensive even for a really great toy, so for this toy is really pricey.
I don’t think it’s worth the money or frus-tration, so this Christmas, go for something a little simpler and well put together for the kids who love this kind of thing.
Doesn’t live up to its promise or price tag
Fun fantasy, e-mails will entertain young readers
By Kaitlyn Pierce,13, a CK Reporter from Arvada
By Natalia Goncharova,12, a CK Reporter from Fort Morgan
By Ben Vanourek,10, a CK Reporter from Littleton
The Denver Post3
The Melissa and Doug “De-luxe Magic Set” will blow
your friends and family away. The Magic Coin Box involves
four boxes, a red pouch, a coin slot, and one coin. (everything provided except the coin) This trick teaches children that an ob-ject can be teleported by showing the coin in the magi-cian’s hand and then in a tightly sealed box.
This is an awesome illusion.I highly recommend perform-
ing this trick.Another trick involves a half
empty box with a whole lot of secrets.
Place a magic wand through the two holes on the ends of the empty box.
But wait, the wand doesn’t seem to be inside the box, but we can see it at both ends of the box! What’s happening?
This trick will teach kids about
“evaporating objects.” I love this trick as much as I
love the coin box trick. One part of this trick I abhor,
though, is the point of view the spectators must look at.
They may not look at any other an-gle of the area of the box.
This creates
massive destruction in your presentation because you will always show your tricks to some a-little-too-curious spectators who want to see some more.
I really do recommend this amazing magic set. You can find it online and at a local Target or other toy store for about $25.
Advertising for prescription drugs seems to be everywhere, and that’s probably be-
cause drug companies spend $5 billion a year suggesting that you “ask your doctor about” their products.
Now the American Medical Association, a group that 250,000 physicians belong to, is calling to an end to the ads.
The reason ads tell you to “ask your doc-tor” about the drugs is because, while drugs like aspirin and most decongestants are safe enough to be sold to anyone who wants to buy them, other medications are not.
That’s why these ads also have a list of the bad things that can happen when you take them. Doctors are expected to have enough training to know when the good a drug can do makes it worth risking possible negatives.
Until 1985, it was illegal to advertise pre-scription drugs and, today, only New Zealand and the US allow it.
Now the AMA is blaming the drug ads for making health care more expensive: They say patients insist on getting the drugs they’ve seen advertised on TV instead of cheaper drugs that are just as good or even better.
Doctors’ organization calls for end to prescription drugs advertising
Since the terrorist attacks in Paris, there has been fear that more terrorists could
hide among the refugees from the violence in Syria who are trying to enter the U.S.
Some are afraid it is too easy for Syrian refugees to be ap-proved to come here. Others say it is already a very hard process that few refugees can pass.
What does it already take?The first step is to leave Syria
and apply with the UN High Commission for Refugees.
For most people fleeing the war in Syria, that would happen at one of the refugee camps in neighboring countries.
If the UNHCR agrees they would be in danger in Syria, they will match them with a country, perhaps where they
have family, or where others from their region live.
If that were the U.S., they would then have to apply with the National Counterterror-ism Center, the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, and the De-partments of State, Defense and Homeland Security.
They are then examined indi-vidually, and this is an area that critics worry about, since poor people from rural areas often can’t prove very much about who they are or what they’ve done in their lives.
The process as it is now takes between 18 and 24 months.
There are 4,289,792 Syrian ref-ugees in UN and other camps.
The US has offered to take 10,000 of them, but only 2,200 have been approved since 2011.
How do refugees apply to come to the U.S.?
Rules: Every row across, every column down and each of the six smaller boxes must contain numerals 1,2,3,4,5 and 6, one time and one time only.
The solution to this week’s puzzle is on Page 4.
On this day in 1877, Anna Sewell’s “Black Beauty,” a novel that inspired more humane treatment of animals, was published. So our answers this week will all begin with the letter “B.”
1. This town, nationally known for skiing, is the seat of Summit County.
2. This tough relative of the weasel appears as a character in “The Wind in the Willows” and is the University of Wisconsin’s mascot.
3. Woodwind instrument that plays Grandfather in “Peter and the Wolf”
4. Outdoor cooking method for meat that involves a slow, smoky fire.
5. Kate Di Camillo’s novel about a girl who finds a dog at a grocery store
6. Herb used in many dishes; it is a main ingredient in pesto spaghetti sauce
7. Short-legged, heavily-built dog with an excellent nose and long, soft ears.
8. Capital city of the nation with the largest population
9. Dense, circular bread product that is first boiled, then baked
10. Term used for films produced in Mumbai, India
(answers on Page Four)
Migrants at a police station in Presevo, Serbia, register for refu-gee status. The largest number of Syrian refugees are in UN camps in Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon, waiting for a chance to apply to go to other countries. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
By Reed Haymons,11, a CK Reporter from Englewood
Amazing magic!
Thanksgiving is time for a feast, and that feast includes
turkey for the majority of those who answered our question on the topic!
Not everyone eats turkey, but alternatives to the big meal were rare enough that we could barely fit their letters on the pie chart!
Here’s what we asked you, and what you told us:
Thanksgiving is coming up. How do you celebrate?
A. A big traditional meal of turkey, dressing and the works. - 61% B. A big meal, but with our own choice of special dishes. - 34% D. We have other ways to mark the day. - 3% C. We go out to a restaurant and order what we like. - 3%
Now here’s our next question:How do you handle giving gifts to others at the holidays?
A. My folks buy gifts and put my name on them.B. My folks give me money and I choose gifts for people.
C. It’s all pretty much my responsibility.D. I’m not into holiday gift-giving.
To answer this question, go to http://nextgen.yourhub.com
Pulse of the Planethttp://tinyurl.com/ckpulseplanet
How to become a NextGen Reporter!http://tinyurl.com/colokidsreporter
To read the sources for these stories
Bees and caffeine
Prescription drug advertising
Refugee requirements
go to http://www.tinyurl.com/ckstorylinks
The White Dog(Latvia)
Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived with a mean old woman who treated
her very badly.Every day, the old woman would
send her with a wooden bucket to draw water from a well in the forest. But when the girl came back with the water, the woman would punish her for dripping water on the floor.
One day, when she was sent to the well, she began to cry.
At once, a little white dog came up to her and asked why she was crying.
“If I come home with no water, I will be punished,” she said. “But if I tie the rope to the bucket and drop it into the well for water, the bucket will be wet and I will be punished for dripping on the floor. Whatever I do, I will be punished.”
“Don’t worry,” the little white dog said. “If you will promise to marry me one day, I will get you water without making your bucket wet.”
The girl thought it was strange that a little dog wanted to marry her, but she did not want to be punished, so she gave her word. At once, her bucket was full of water, and not a drop was on the outside. She took it home and, though the mean old woman looked at it carefully, she could find no reason to punish the girl.
After that, the little white dog met the girl at the well each day, and each day she came home with a bucket of water, and no water on the outside of the bucket to drip on the floor.
But the old woman was still very mean to her, and one day she said to the girl, “A man is coming tomorrow to marry you. Wash all your clothes and get ready to be a wife!”
The girl did not want to get married, but she was too frightened to say any-thing. She prepared her clothing and packed her things so that she could go live with her husband, whoever he might be.
Sure enough, the next day, a man arrived to marry her. That night, there was a party at the house. It was very grand, but just as they sat down to dinner, the little white dog showed up in the yard and began to sing outside the window:
“Maiden, open up the door andLet me in the place you dwell!Do not turn away from me,but keep your promise from the well!”The girl was surprised, but all the guests thought the little dog was so cute
and funny that they let him in the house.The dog ran into the room where the people were eating and saw the bride
and groom seated at the table. He began to sing again:“Maiden, let me sit by you!Share with me the food I smell!Do not turn away from me,but keep your promise from the well!”The girl didn’t know what to do, but the bridegroom reached down to pick
up the little dog and place him on her lap. “I don’t think he’ll eat so much that we can’t spare it,” he chuckled.
The next morning, the girl was dressed in her finest clothes and a carriage came to take the family to the church. But the little white dog ran up and began to bark at the carriage, and then he sang:
“Maiden, take me for a rideDown to hear the wedding bell!Do not turn away from me,but keep your promise from the well!”By now everyone was used to the little dog, and someone opened the carriage
door so he could jump in.When they arrived at the church, the bride walked slowly up the aisle to
where the groom was waiting for her, and the priest began the wedding. But the little white dog ran into the church and began to sing:
“Maiden now the time has comeFor you at last the truth to tellDo not turn away from me,but keep your promise from the well!”The priest stopped the wedding and turned to the girl. “If there is something
you must tell us, now is the time,” he said. “I cannot perform a marriage ceremony if there is some great secret you are keeping.”
At that, the girl began to weep and told the entire story. The mean old wom-an was so angry that she stamped her foot and ran out of the church with the little white dog chasing after her, barking furiously.
Everyone in the church went outside, and there they saw an amazing sight: A beautiful silver coach pulled up in front, drawn by eight white horses. A footman got down from the carriage, opened the door and bowed to the little white dog, who leapt inside only long enough to change into a handsome prince.
When he came out again, dressed in the finest of clothes, he held out his hand to the girl and said, “Now, madam, will you keep your promise? Please?”
They went back into the church, where they were married, then came back out and went to the prince’s castle.
And the man who had intended to marry the girl, and who had been so gentle and kind to the little white dog, was made Lord High Chamberlain as a reward for his good manners and pleasant nature.
text c. 2005, Mike Peterson - illustration c. 2005, Marina Tay
